1. Technical Field
Embodiments of this disclosure relate to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses are used as, for example, copiers, printers, facsimile machines, and multi-functional devices having at least one of the foregoing capabilities. As one type of image forming apparatus, there is known an image forming apparatus such as a label printer in which printing is carried out by an image forming device on a printing medium, such as tape and a label sheet without a liner, having an adhesive face and not having release paper attached to the adhesive face (hereinafter also referred to as “linerless label sheet”) and the printing medium after the printing is cut into desired lengths to be pieces of printing medium (hereinafter also referred to as “label pieces”).
In such an image forming apparatus, since the adhesive face of the printing medium is exposed, it may be difficult to carry out stable conveyance from feed to discharge. For example, the printing medium may be inflected in a direction along a peripheral surface of a rotary body, such as a roller, forming a conveyance unit, at a position at which the printing medium having an image formed thereon is separated from the conveyance unit and sent out to a discharge unit. As a result, the printing medium may not be sent into the discharge unit.
To retain an attitude of the printing medium, for example, a guide plate is provided to guide the printing medium under the printing medium or a fan is provided to blow air to correct the attitude of the printing medium. Alternatively, when a conveyance belt is used, a separation tab is provided to separate the printing medium from the conveyance belt.
As the apparatus for adjusting the attitude of the printing medium by using the fan in discharging the printing medium, for example, an apparatus is known to constantly generate air flows on a side of an upper face (a face opposite from a side of a conveyance face) of a recording medium to thereby give ifting power to the recording medium (see JP-2008-239320-A).
However, if the air flows are constantly given as described in SP-2008-239320-A, the printing medium may be inflected in an opposite direction when the printing medium is not inflected at a position at which the recording medium is sent out from the conveyance unit, thus adversely reducing conveyance performance.
In addition, if the guide plate and the printing medium having the exposed adhesive face are used, frictional resistance may hamper smooth conveyance. For example, for a structure in which the separation tab is constantly in contact with the conveyance belt, the conveyance belt may be damaged.